Three people are missing following a hot air balloon accident in the US state of Virginia.

The balloon burst into flames after hitting a power line in the town of Doswell on Friday evening.

Virginia state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said: "Witnesses tell us they heard two explosions from the hot air balloon and at one point the gondola and the balloon separated and then the baloon took off at a rapid pace."

The balloon caught fire after apparently hitting a power line. Credit: APTN

Officials say they are now searching for two crash sites, one where the balloon landed and another where the gondola landed.

There was a pilot and two passengers on board, but search parties have yet to find any wreckage or any sign of the missing people.

A wedding ceremony aboard a hot air balloon got off to a bumpy start when strong winds forced the pilot to make a crash landing in the back garden of a family home.

San Diego Fire Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said that one of the 14 people onboard suffered a minor back injury in the incident on Monday.

The marrying couple, Kerin and Jonathan Narcisse, told a local television station that the gust of wind caught the balloon just after they exchanged their vows, causing it to sway over a residential neighbourhood.